iPad 2 production issues easing, says analyst

Stories about iPad production remain fairly high interest news items, and the reason is simple: demand is still ridiculously high, and even getting on for two months after it launched, you're still facing a 1-2 week shipping delay if you order one today.

But it seems there's light at the end of the tunnel – according to one analyst, anyway. Sterne Agee's Shaw Wu reckons the issues have “significantly improved” and things should be back to something approaching normal service in not too long.

AppleInsider reports Wu as revealing Apple had improved production efficiency through retooling and conversion of more overseas production lines, and that this had eased the pressure a little. “From our understanding, [Apple] still has a ways to hit the [second half] goal of 3-4 million units per month but getting closer,” he wrote an an analyst note.

He now reckons Apple will sell 6.8 million iPads in the third quarter, up from his previous prediction of 5.9 million. As we previously reported, Apple is still set to fall way short of its internal targets, but for everyday punters an increase in production volume means an order you place today is likely to land on your doorstep quicker, which can only be good news, of course.